Because she didn't want to marry that fiancé, she became withdrawn.
There was nothing she could do; Rias knew this engagement was set by her family, and she herself had no ability to defy it.
Unable to do anything, Rias became withdrawn and ran to Inaba Tsukiyo, a familiar outsider, to seek comfort.
"Actually… you don't need to be so flustered, Rias. Since you're not satisfied with this engagement, why not resist?"
Rias looked at Inaba Tsukiyo with some surprise. She just wanted to confide in Inaba Tsukiyo, so why was Inaba Tsukiyo persuading her to resist?
However… it wasn't that she hadn't thought of resisting, but the pressure she faced was simply too great, so much so that she had no confidence in resisting at all.
"Don't you want to prove yourself to others? You can use this resistance to make others understand that you are not the Gremory Family's next head, but you, Rias."
Like a spiritual mentor, Inaba Tsukiyo's words made Rias's eyes light up, but then she remembered something and lowered her head again.
"But I don't have the ability to resist this."
"But you don't have to face this alone, Rias. Have you forgotten about the Servants/Peerage Members who call you President?"
Himejima Akeno, Tachibana Koneko, and Kiba Yuuto—they were Rias's strongest backing and her most trusted companions.
Rias would not, like other devils, abuse the chess pieces in her hand to increase her strength; if someone did not meet her standards, she would not let them become her Servants/Peerage Members.
Those who could become Rias's Servants/Peerage Members were almost all people she trusted.
"So… try looking around you, Rias. Even without the Gremory surname, many people are still willing to lend you their strength. One person's strength is indeed limited, but you still have Koneko and the others. As their [King], don't you trust them?"
"…Trust the people around me?"
Rias mumbled Inaba Tsukiyo's words. Inaba Tsukiyo was indeed not wrong; even without the Gremory surname, she had trustworthy companions around her.
"You really are… If I didn't see you looking as petite as Koneko, I would have thought you were an elder with a very rich life experience. I didn't expect to be lectured by you."
Rias smiled wryly. Although she felt much better, thinking that she was lectured by the person who took Tachibana Koneko made her feel a bit depressed again.
"Hehe~ The more you experience, the more you understand. Maybe I'm really older than you, Rias."
Although Rias was a devil, her actual age was only eighteen, the level of a high school girl, which couldn't compare to Inaba Tsukiyo's hundreds of years of age.
Of course, Rias couldn't possibly believe Inaba Tsukiyo's nonsense; she reflexively took it as a joke, released Inaba Tsukiyo, and stood up from the sofa.
As Rias moved, the bath towel wrapped around her slipped slightly, increasing the already exposed benefits considerably.
However, with the help of a certain private part, the bath towel didn't fall off completely.
Inaba Tsukiyo opened her eyes in surprise; she hadn't expected such a maneuver. Can people with good figures do whatever they want?
This reminded her of when Motoari Niya used to joke about her own figure. She remembered that Niya had wanted to tuck a letter into her chest and then hand it to Inaba Tsukiyo.
But shortly after she put it there, the letter very naturally fell out. There was nothing she could do, because Motoari Niya had no place there to support the letter.
"Thank you, Tsukuyo. I was quite annoyed, but now I feel much better."
Rias tidied her bright red long hair, revealing a very beautiful smile, and said with a grin.
Inaba Tsukiyo smiled and nodded. Rias had emerged from her gloomy mood, which also meant she should understand what she wanted to do.
"Oh, right, Tsukuyo. The [Protection of the Underworld] you gave me before… are you a favored one of the Underworld Goddess? So she granted you some of her abilities?"
Rias asked curiously. Ever since Inaba Tsukiyo gave her this protection last time, Rias had been very eager to know the answer to this question.
However, if Inaba Tsukiyo really was a favored one of the Underworld Goddess, she should have some demonic aura about her, but Rias could only sense a human aura, not any demonic aura.
"Underworld Goddess… what do you think?"
Inaba Tsukiyo didn't answer Rias's question. Even if she told Rias about her relationship with Ereshkigal, Rias probably wouldn't believe her.
She didn't know if there was an Underworld Goddess from the Sumerian mythology in this world, but the Underworld Goddess who made a contract with her had given everything to Inaba Tsukiyo.
"Alright, I apologize for my rudeness."
Rias smiled gently. Asking about someone else's secrets was indeed very rude, especially when it concerned Inaba Tsukiyo's most important secret.
"Since you've calmed down, contact the others. They've been looking for you very hard. If you don't contact them, they'll probably keep looking for you until tomorrow."
Inaba Tsukiyo stood up from the sofa, thought for a moment, walked over to Rias, and poked her on the head.
"You have to remember, Koneko is very strong now, and even Himejima Akeno is much more powerful than before. They are definitely Servants/Peerage Members you can rely on. Trust their strength."
After speaking, Inaba Tsukiyo turned to find Mikazuki Munechika and the Heavenly Father.
Rias rubbed her poked forehead, looking somewhat annoyed at Inaba Tsukiyo's back. She felt that Inaba Tsukiyo was treating her like a child.
However… Inaba Tsukiyo's words were not wrong. If she didn't resist, then in the eyes of others, she would always be the next head of Gremory, not Rias.
But… she couldn't just resist lightly; she also needed to make some preparations, otherwise, her family wouldn't let it go.
"Since you suggested I resist, then please lend me some of your strength, Tsukuyo."
The next day, when Inaba Tsukiyo woke up, she found three lolis lying in her arms as usual.
Looking at the three who had completely surrounded her, Inaba Tsukiyo wondered if she should buy a bigger bed? She felt that this bed, which was a bit large for one person, was already almost unable to accommodate them.
Tsukuyo Inaba's daily life was almost routine, but what surprised her was that Rias had reincarnated Asia as a Devil, making her one of her Servants/Peerage Members, with the rank of Bishop.
Of course, this was with Asia's own consent, so Tsukuyo Inaba didn't feel any dissatisfaction.
After Tachibana Koneko and Asia went to school, Tsukuyo Inaba began studying the application of the gauntlet of the red dragon emperor at home.
This was one of the thirteen Sacred Gears in this world. The power of this Sacred Gear could greatly enhance her strength. Its primary ability, 'Infinite Boost,' could even grant ordinary people the strength of a high-ranking Devil.
Even if this power could only be sustained for a short time, the ability to increase one's strength by so many levels was already extremely exaggerated.
However, this boosting ability had its limits. With Tsukuyo Inaba's current physical condition, she could only amplify it a maximum of five times before her body would start to give out.
It seemed that under certain specific circumstances, the number of amplifications could be increased, which Tsukuyo Inaba would have to explore on her own.
If the boosting ability were to be transmitted to other areas, Tsukuyo Inaba's strength would undergo a qualitative improvement.
There was also the Juggernaut Drive of the Sacred Gear, an ability she had heard about from Ddraig, and one that Tsukuyo Inaba had been trying to master recently.
Through this period of exploration, Tsukuyo Inaba was finally able to use Juggernaut Drive. However, Tsukuyo Inaba disliked the Juggernaut Drive armor, so even though the Juggernaut Drive state could provide an explosive increase in her strength, she sealed this move away.
Thus, every day, Tsukuyo Inaba would train with the gauntlet of the red dragon emperor in the Imaginary Space, while also trying to transmit this power to other abilities, and attempting to use this power while transformed.
Fortunately, the boosting power could be used while transformed, and also while in her Herrscher state.
Hehe~ Whether in her transformed state or Herrscher state, these were Tsukuyo Inaba's ultimate killing moves.
Originally, the power of these two moves was already terrifying, and now she could also use the amplified power to strengthen herself by one fold every ten seconds. It seemed she could now walk sideways in this world.
This discovery greatly improved Tsukuyo Inaba's mood. Just as she was leaving the Imaginary Space, she noticed that besides Tachibana Koneko and Asia, there were three other girls who had returned at noon.
Besides Rias and Himejima Akeno, there was also a mature woman in a maid outfit with them.
Although she wore a maid outfit, she exuded a serious aura. She looked like a maid, yet she radiated a noble and elegant queen-like demeanor.
What was going on? Were all Devils this playful? Or did some mischievous person want her to wear a maid outfit, which is why she was wearing it?
"Tsukuyo, let me introduce you. This is my sister-in-law, who also serves as the Gremory Family's maid, and is the Queen of the current Demon Lord Lucifer—Grayfia Lucifuge."
Rias brought the other party in front of Tsukuyo Inaba and introduced her casually.
'A maid? And a Queen?'
Rias's words conveyed a lot of information. She hadn't expected the other party to be Rias's sister-in-law, and while being a maid, also the Queen of the current Demon Lord Lucifer.
This meant that besides being the wife of Rias's brother, she was also one of his Servants/Peerage Members?
Taking one's own wife as a Servant/Peerage Member? Could it be that some Devils would even take their own sister as a Servant/Peerage Member? It felt as if the Servant/Peerage Member system, among some Devils, was like building a harem.
Grayfia silently looked at Tsukuyo Inaba, her gaze revealing a hint of scrutiny.
This made Tsukuyo Inaba a little displeased. She thought the other party was looking down on her because of her human identity, so she couldn't help but unleash her aura, centered on Grayfia.
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